Popular Programming Languages
It was quite easy to decide to become a programmer, but when it comes to choosing a programming language, for a beginner it becomes too confusing. There are hundreds of programming languages and each language has its specialty such as Python, Jave, .Net, and many more. Too many programming languages make it difficult to choose one to pressure the career.
As I above told each language has developed for some specific task but when it comes to beginners most of them don't understand this thing, actually it is quite obvious it comes with experience so don't worry. I'm writing this article from a beginner's point of view. If you have very little knowledge and experience in the software industry then it is very common to raise a question in your mind which programming language is most popular in the world, which programming language is being used most? To tackle these kinds of questions I'm writing this article. In this article, I'm going to list the top 10 most popular programming languages in the world with the basic details about them.
Top 10 Most Popular Programming Languages in the World
The following compilation represents the top 10 programming languages globally, curated with consideration to present demand and prospective career opportunities within each language. Let's delve into the list.
1. Python
Python stands as a prevalent high-level programming language renowned for its versatility across various domains including software development, web development, data analysis, machine learning, automation, scripting, software testing, and prototyping. Its widespread adoption is attributed to its focus on readable code and an extensive standard library. Python accommodates diverse programming paradigms such as object-oriented, structured, and functional programming, contributing to its popularity.
Python, crafted in a highly expressive manner, boasts remarkable clarity, making it accessible to all. Guido van Rossum spearheaded its development, with its initial release on February 20, 1991. Over time, it has evolved significantly, with its latest iteration being version 3.9.0 as of 2021. Its continuous enhancement has propelled it to the forefront, establishing Python as the preeminent programming language worldwide.
2. Java
After Python, Java is the 2nd most popular programming language. Java is one of the most used programming languages, It is platform-independent means writing the code once and running it anywhere. It supports multiple programming paradigms such as object-oriented, structured, and functional programming.
Java is widely used in desktop GUI applications, mobile app development, gaming applications, web-based applications, distributed applications, big data technologies, IoT applications, cloud-based applications, etc. Java was developed by James Gosling, it was first introduced on 23rd May 1995. As of 2024, Java's current version is Java 17 or JDK 17, Java is used by more than 3 billion devices in the world. If you are looking for a programming language to start, Java could be among the best options.
3. JavaScript
JavaScript has acquired 3rd place in the list of the most popular programming language in the world. JavaScript is a scripting language and it is supposed to be one of the most flexible scripting languages in the world. JavaScript is widely used as a client-side scripting language. Even though it's a scripting language it follows many programming paradigms such as object-oriented, functional programming, just-in-time compilation, etc.
JavaScript is a text-based programming language used both on the client side and server side that allows you to make web pages interactive. JavaScript generates a huge number of employment opportunities, it is the best option for those who want a quick start in the software industry. To start in JavaScript you just need the basic knowledge of HTML and CSS.
4. C#
In our list, C# is in 4th rank in the list of the most popular programming languages in the world. C# is a multi-paradigm, general-purpose object-oriented programming language. C# is widely used in developing desktop applications, web applications, web services, and gaming applications. C# is extensively used in creating applications for Microsoft. For a beginner, C# is also a recommended programming language, since it is easy to learn and its huge class library helps beginners to learn easily and fastly.
5. C
C programming language is the most basic and one of the oldest programming languages, C is also called the mother programming language. C language allows you to write code to very close to memory units i.e. You will be able to do low-level memory uses to enhance efficiency. C is one of the oldest programming languages although it does not have the concept of object-oriented programming still, it is the 5th most popular programming language in the world the reason for its capability to provide low-level memory access.
Major operating systems like Windows, UNIX, Linux, and many compilers are developed using the C programming language, since it can run on any type of device, C is often used to program hardware, such as embedded devices in automobiles and medical devices used in healthcare. If you are a beginner and you want to see yourself as a hard-core programmer then it is advised that you should first learn the C programming language and later any other object-oriented programming language like Python, Java, C#, etc.
6. C++
C++ is an object-oriented programming language, an extension of the C language, and it is also called "C with Classes". C++ has many modern programming features like object-oriented, generic, and functional features, it also has facilities for low-level memory manipulation.
C++ was designed for system programming and embedded programming. C++ was designed by James Gosling and its first edition was released in 1985 (more than 36 years ago). Many industries are still working on C++ so there are good opportunities for jobs after learning the C++ programming language.
7. PHP
PHP is a popular general-purpose scripting language that is especially suited to web development. It is widely used as a server-side programming language. PHP was first introduced on 8th June 1995 by Rasmus Lerdorf. PHP supports multi-paradigms such as object-oriented, procedural, functional, imperative, and reflective. PHP is widely used to create dynamic and interactive Web pages, It provides huge employment opportunities in the web development industry, as of 2021 PHP is the 7th most popular programming language in the world.
8. R
R is a popular programming language, it was introduced in August 1993 by Ross Ihaka and Robert Gentleman. R is a general-purpose programming language, it supports multi-paradigm: such as object-orientation, procedural, functional, etc. R programming is widely used among statisticians and data miners for developing statistical software and data analysis. If you are interested in developing data analysis, data mining software R programming is best for you. In the list of most popular programming languages, R programming achieved 8th place.
9. Go
Go is a powerful programming language, It was developed at Google by Robert Griesemer, Rob Pike, and Ken Thompson. Go is very similar to the C programming language syntactically, But it has many advanced features like garbage collection, memory safety, and structural typing. We cannot say the Go programming language is completely new, Go is designed by removing the drawbacks of other programming languages with some new features.
Go was designed to improve programming productivity in an era of multicore, network machines, and large codebases. As a beginner, if you are learning Go programming along with any other core programming language your job opportunity will be significantly boosted.
10. Swift
Swift is a powerful programming language to develop iOS and macOS applications, generally, it is called Apple’s language. It is a server as well as a client-side programming language that offers multi-paradigm such as object-oriented, functional programming concepts. Swift is widely used in developing iOS and macOS applications, and if you want to build your career as an iOS developer you can learn the Swift programming language, it also has good job opportunities.
This was all about the top 10 most popular programming languages in the world. This list is prepared based on various parameters such as the % of use in the software industry, number of employment generated each year, average salary, and future scope. This list is prepared from the beginner’s point of view it may help them to choose the right programming language for their career.